Kingdom Hearts III Christmas Special
by Nightwing2593
Summary: It's been a year since Xehanort's defeat and the Keybladers haven't been together since. With an invitation from the King, Sora and Co. gather together to celebrate the season. Will old wounds reopen or will the Spirit stand strong?


**Kingdom Hearts III: The Christmas Special**

**A/N:**** Well guys, it's the week before Christmas and it's time for a Christmas Special. This time around we're going to take a little trip into the future, one year after Xehanort's final defeat to be exact and our heroes haven't seen each other since then. What kind of hi-jinks will ensue and will a certain ravenette learn the true meaning of family and how to be open to those you care about we'll scroll down and find out.**

***ASK is a measure of time pertaining to events after the Second Keyblade War or the Xehanort Saga as a whole so 1 ASK would mean one year after the Second Keyblade War.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Invitations Pt 1**

**Twilight Town , 1 ASK* December 23rd**

(The Afternoon Streets-KH2 plays)

"Even though a year has passed I still can't believe that we're able to do this again." Xion exclaimed as she, Roxas, and Lea sat atop the Station Tower and watched the sunset with a cooler filled with sea-salt ice cream. "Sometimes I can't help but feel that this is another one of Xemnas's cruel tricks."

"Really Xion is that what you think of us." Lea replied with mock hurt as he chewed on his ice cream stick. "I mean I know Roxas is a stick in the mud, but I'm the real deal. Got it memorized?"

"Oh thanks!" Roxas cried aiming a punch at Lea who ducked his head lazily.

As she watched her best friends roughhouse playfully Xion began to giggle to herself and began to reminice about the old days. It seemed so long ago that her only purpose in life was to slay Heartless and collect hearts in order to complete Kingdom Hearts. The only solace she had was spending time with Roxas and Axel or Lea as he called himself now. Now that she and Roxas were given a second chance at life Xion never took anything for granted. The first thing she did after the end of the War was settle herself into Twilight Town permanently. Roxas not wanting to be separated from the ravenette again decided to go with her in order to help in anyway he could even taking a job as a Struggle announcer. The money wasn't all that great, but thre duo were able to live rather stablely in a small apartment in Sunset Hill.

Lea however decided to take the road of a Seeker after being named a Keyblade Master shortly after Xehanort's defeat. To him living the simple life just wasn't good enough, he wanted to travel and see as many Worlds as he could. Despite Roxas and Xion's pleas, Lea was determined to travel however he wanted to do it alone. After Isa's heroic sacrifice during the final battle with Xehanort, Lea nearly shut himself down. It was thanks to Kairi that he was able to move on with life. Despite constantly being on the move the pyro always stopped at Twilight Town to have ice cream with his two best friends.

"What's wrong Xi?" Lea asked as he caught the dreamy smile on Xion's face.

"Oh nothing." Xion replied. "Just thinking about the old days and how much everything has changed."

Before Lea or Roxas could respond, the duo were interruptted by the obnoxious scream of a rowdy teenage boy.

"ROXAS! GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE!"

"Hayner, don't be rude don't you see he has others with him?" a female voice reprimanded.

As Roxas looked down from the tower he couldn't help but laugh. Not so long ago, he was trapped in a virtual Twilight Town where he was friends with the three teenagers below him. Now that he was his own person he made that a reality.

"Hey guys what's up?" Roxas shouted so Hayner, Pence, and Olette could hear him.

"I DON'T KNOW YOU TELL ME!" Hayner screamed at the top of his lungs resulting in Olette hitting the blonde upside the head.

"What Hayner is trying to say is that we found a letter addressed to you and Xion at the Usual Spot." Olette explained as Hayner was complaining about being hit.

"What kind of letter?" Xion asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well aren't you curious?" Lea replied with cocky grin.

"So what's wrong with that?"

"Well, they say that curiosity killed the cat. Got it memorized?"

"Wait what does a cat have to do with this letter?"

Amused by Xion's naiveté Lea started to chuckle causing Xion to blush with embarrassment. In her embarrassment, Xion smacked Lea in the shoulder causing him to drop his newly opened bar of ice cream much to his horror.

"Not cool Xi" Lea pouted as he grabbed a new bar from the cooler with an uncharacteristic frown.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn." Xion said cooly. "Got it memorized?"

"Touché."

Ignoring Xion and Lea's antics, Roxas continued to quest the Twilight Trio about the letter the found at the Usual Spot.

"We didn't really open it so we don't know ourselves." Pence explained scratching his head. "But the weird thing was that the seal was shaped like a mouse head almost like the King."

"The King!?" Roxas exclaimed. Nodding to Xion and Lea, the three Keybearers jumped off the Station Tower and landed gracefully in front of the astonished Twilight Trio.

"Even after all this time I still can't believe we're friends with bonafide superheroes." Hayner exclaimed after being unusually silent for the past three minutes.

"Trust me kid." Lea replied. "Xion and Roxas might be heroes, but I'm not."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short Lea." Olette cried as she snapped herself back to reality.

"Yeah, if it weren't for you the town would be in ruins when the Heartless attacked last year." Pence added.

"Anyway." Olette huffed. "Here's the letter why don't you find out what the King has to say."

Nodding curtly, Roxas took the letter from Olette's hand and broke the seal. As the former Nobody unrolled the paper, he was hit with Christmas confetti. Brushing himself off Roxas began to read the note with Lea and Xion reading over his shoulder.

_To Roxas and Xion,_

_I know it's been a while since we last saw each other, but as you know Christmas is upon us. I extend an invitation to join me at a Christmas Party at the castle. Remember our promise to each other before we parted? Well now's the time to carry it out. I hope to see you both at the castle on Christmas Eve. If Lea's with you(which I'm sure he is) please pass on the message._

_Sincerely yours and a Merry Christmas, Mickey_

_P.S. Hayner, Pence, and Olette are more than welcome to come. The more guests the merrier._

"A Christmas Party!?" Olette squealed with excitement upon hearing what the letter said.

"The King really wants us to come?" Pence asked in shock.

"Sweet!" Hayner excitedly added.

"C'mon we can all go." Roxas replied with a smile as he rolled up the King's note.

"We should bring Naminé too." Xion suggested. "She'll be so excited to see everyone again!"

"So what are we waiting for!?" Hayner cried. "TO THE MANSION!"

**Ivalice, The Westersand 2 miles from the Royal City of Rabanastre**

(The Dalmasca Westersand-Final Fantasy XII)

To the citizens of the Royal City of Rabanastre, the Westersand teems with the worst danger imaginable even more so than the Archadian Guards that skulk about the city and opress the people with rules they come up with at a whim. To two cloaked figures the desert is home until they move on.

"Van, how much longer?" the smaller of the two figures complained in a voice that gave her away as a seven-year old girl. The taller of the two shook his head and sighed in feigned annoyance. "It shouldn't be too much longer Rydia just try to soldier on a little bit more okay?"

"But Vaaaaan!" Rydia cried dramatically as she collapsed in the sand. "My feet hurt."

Once again shaking his head, Vanitas picked up Rydia and put her on his back. "You're so lucky that you're too adorable otherwise I'd gut you right here and now."

"Don't give me that tough guy act Van." Rydia scoffed. "We both know you're just like a chocobo on the inside."

"Try telling that to my so-called 'friends'. And for the last time it's Vanitas."

"Maybe they'd agree if you'd open up to them more."

"And I suppose the seven-year old is the expert in opening up to people."

"I did with you didn't I?

As the two friends continue to argue back and forth the walls to the city of Rabanastre opened and they were finally out of the harsh desert.

(Royal Capital Rabanastre City Upper Ground-Final Fantasy XII plays)

Removing her hood, Rydia shook excess sand out of her long green hair and yawned. Keeping his hood up, Vanitas rolled his eyes as he entered the Rabanastre city square.

"Down you go squirt." Vanitas said as he put Rydia down and pulled out a pouch of water from his cloak.

"I thought you were gonna carry me!" Rydia pouted as she took the cloaked man's water pouch and took a swig.

"We don't always get what we want kid." Vanitas retorted as he continued to move forward towards Lowtown. Before Rydia could make a snarky comeback, the duo heard a woman scream and sob. Investigating the scene, Vanitas found that a young mother of two clearly homeless sobbing in the streetcorner as the other citizens went about their business.

"What seems to be the problem?" Rydia asked the distraut woman.

"I finally saved up enough money to buy a small flat in Lowtown so my boys can have a place to sleep, but before I could make the final purchase those vile Archadians took my money from me. 'Taxes to the Lord Consul' he said, now my boys have nowhere to sleep and we have no money for food."

"Where did they go?" Vanitas asked with disgust. Despite his rough and rude nature, he had a soft spot for kids thanks to Rydia.

"The went towards the Sandsea, probably to drink my money away." the woman snarled.

With a sigh, Vanitas took out a pouch containing a good five-thousand gil and a key.

"Here." he said giving the woman the key and money. "No child should have to suffer like that. There's a flat next to Old Dalan's place with your name on it and there should be enough money for you and your boys to eat for a good two years and I insist you take it."

Touched by the boy's kindness, the woman and the children wrapped thier arms around him and squeezed tight.

"Oh bless you good sir!" the woman sobbed. "Bless you."

With a curt nod Vanitas and Rydia turned towards the direction of the Sandsea, but were stalled by the overjoyed homeless woman. "Wait! I didn't catch your name."

"Call me Van." Vanitas answered as he walked away towards the commerce area of the city.

"That was a great thing you did Van." Rydia replied as they walked passed the multiple market kiosks trying to sell multiple goods from weapons to potions.

"What was I supposed to do let them starve and die homeless." Vanitas replied brushing off Rydia's admiration.

"That's well and good, but...WHERE ARE _WE _GONNA SLEEP NOW YOU IDIOT!?"

"I'll come up with something, I always do."

"So where are we going Fearless Leader?"

"We're gonna have a little chat with some people at the Sandsea."

The Sandsea was a quaint little tavern on the East End of town, but it wasn't without its fair share of shady patrons from vicious sky pirates to Archadia's "Finest". Sitting up in the balcony of the bar were two Archadian guards in intimidating steel armor and spears were counting money on their table.

"I can't belive that peasant had this much on her." the first guard said as he split the money in two.

"Yeah, too bad the Consul requires more "taxes" if you know what I mean." the other chortled.

"Really?" a dark voice interjected. "Seems to me the way you're splitting that shows that you're stealing from the Consul."

"And who do you think you are?" the first guard asked brandishing his spear. As the guard turned he found himself face to face with a cloaked figure who when he removed his hood was revealed to be a ravenette with spiky hair and cold yellow eyes.

"Let's just say I'm a concerned citizen who would be disappointed if he saw two guards stealing from Lord Vayne." the boy said as he kicked the guard in the solar plexus sending him over the edge of the balcony.

"You'll pay for that!" the second guard declared as he thrusted with his spear. Dodging the thrust, Vanitas grabbed the upper half of the spear's shaft and snapped it in half. With the guard disarmed, the ravenette punched the guard in the face breaking his nose and threw him off the balcony on top of his buddy.

"Rydia, they're all yours." Vanitas yawned as he cracked his neck.

"On it Van!" Rydia replied sticking her tongue out. Reaching out with her heart, Rydia built the appropriate amount of mana and cast a summoning spell.

Suddenly, a morbidly obese chocobo fell from the ceiling of the tavern and landed on top of the barley concsious guards. Scooping up the stolen money, Vanitas walked to the main floor of the tavern and tossed some coins to Tomaj the bartender and owner from his own pocket.

"Sorry about the mess." he said nonchalantly as he walked toward the exit.

"Hey wait!" Tomaj called. "You're Vanitas right?"

"And if I am?"

"Well some weird cat looking guy gave me this letter to a spiky haried kid named Vanitas and you match the description."

"Well what are you waiting for? Give me the letter."

"Alright, Alright don't chew my head off."

Taking the letter from Tomaj, Vanitas read the contents and cracked a small smile and opened a Dark Corridor much to the shock of the patrons.

"Rydia, dismiss the Fat Chocobo. We're getting off this rock."

"Where are we going?" Rydia asked confused.

"We have a party to crash."

* * *

**A/N:**** And so ends chapter one. I know it wasn't very Christmassy, but I wanted to establish where our main characters have been for the past year before the party begins.**

**Next Time: The BBS and Island Trios get their invites and they begin their journey in a snowy Disney Town. As always please leave your thoughts and opinions and have a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukah or Quanza or whicheverholiday you guys celebrate this time of year.**

**Till Next Time!**


End file.
